


Smiling Through The Pain

by kickassfu



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Old Fic, Soul Collectors Adversaries AU, Talks of Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:00:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26496808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickassfu/pseuds/kickassfu
Summary: It was a hard existence, ominous and hopeless, but Caroline made it work however she could - with a kind smile on her face and warm words. Dying was hard, and it pained her every single time to watch her wards suffer through it, but she was there to help them along; after all, she was a Soul Collector - one of the best in fact.
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Smiling Through The Pain

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to be transferring my old fics from FF.net, and this is one of them. It was written (or posted) on 2017, I've improved throughout the years so you know...if this isn't the best I apologize lol Enjoy.

It was a hard existence, ominous and hopeless, but Caroline made it work however she could - with a kind smile on her face and warm words. Dying was hard, and it pained her every single time to watch her wards suffer through it, but she was there to help them along; after all, she was a Soul Collector - one of the best in fact. Still, watching someone live their ordinary life just for it to be cut short so suddenly - for them, not her, she always knew it was coming but it never helped - was devastating. They’d be so confused, not understanding why they couldn’t go back, to their family, their loved ones, and it was always heartbreaking to explain their time on Earth had expired. She was good at making them move on, making sure they knew death wasn’t exactly an ending, just a continuation on a different level. It was a hard existence, but Caroline was happy she could be there for those lost souls.

_Not everyone was like her._

Klaus had a different way to do his job, mostly because of his personality. Day in day out, every day the same thing, his job could get _very_ boring. Watch over a person that’s about to die, _death_ , soul comes out and then is collected - _done_. Sometimes it was boring _and_ annoying, dead people could talk up a storm, oh and the crying, it was Klaus’ worst nightmare so he collected them as fast as he could. Then there was _her_ \- with blonde hair and angelic features - that talked them through their grief and explained everything instead of doing her bloody job - infuriating really. Well, in truth it worked in his favor, many a times Klaus had stolen her souls while she yammered away. She had repaid in turn by stealing some of his, he wasn’t sure how, but apparently she was a clever minx. Klaus didn’t mind, their rivalry at least made his job slightly more entertaining.

It was a child, 4 years old - _so young_. Pure and innocent, and that hurt her more than anything. She knew he was Klaus’ soul to collect, but remembering how uncaring and awful he was, Caroline couldn’t ignore this situation. It wouldn’t be the first time she stole a soul from him, - after all he constantly did the same thing - but this was not the same. Klaus was not the man for this particular job, she refused to believe it.

The mom only let go of the child’s hand - _Henrik_ \- for a second, trying to find her keys and the next thing that was heard was a horrifying crash. It was an awful situation to witness; the inconsolable mother that would blame herself for ever letting go of his tiny hand, the distraught driver that would have nightmares about this for his whole life, and of the confused look on a tiny boy looking at the accident while wondering why his mom was so sad.

Caroline took a deep breath and kneeled in front of him, grabbing his hands, “Hello Henrik, I’m Caroline. I’m here to help you.”

He looked at her, with her warm glow and white dress, and felt more at ease, “Mum’s crying. _I want mum_. Why can’t mum see me?”

It was always hard to find the words in times like these, no matter how much experience she had, she was never sure about what to say, “I know it’s confusing, and that you miss your mom, but with time she’ll be alright. You need to come with me. You’ll see her again one day, I promise.”

“Mum needs me. I can’t leave her.”

He was starting to tear up - Caroline’s heart breaking a little more - so she hugged him tight, “I know, but you have to. You’ll only hurt yourself by staying. Your mom wouldn’t want you to be in pain right? If you come with me you’ll be safe.”

“I can’t be with mum anymore.” it wasn’t a question, just a tearful statement. Henrik hugged her neck even tighter at that sad realization.

“No, you can’t. But that’s life. Are you trying to steal another one of my souls love? Not nice.”

Caroline got up, and stood in front of Henrik, “Do you always need to be an asshole?”

Henrik peeked from behind her legs, and noticed a man with darker clothes and an odd transparency to his body - as if he was there and not at the same time. He didn’t scare Henrik, which was weird since he looked dangerous. Still, he didn’t want to go with the man, he liked Caroline, so he held onto the fabric of her dress and decided to never let go.

“Is that something you should say in front of children? Shame on you.” Klaus said with pretend offense.

Taking a deep breath she managed to abstain from slapping him, “Just let me take him ok? You’re obviously ill-equipped for this soul.”

“Why? Because I do my job and collect them, instead of giving them a choice? How many have you lost because you chose to talk? If anyone is ‘ _ill-equipped’_ for their job, it’s you sweetheart.”

“ _He’s just a child_. He deserves a little more comprehension, even from someone as heartless as you.”

“Well, he’s _dead_ , can’t really resolve that through talking.”

To say Caroline was shocked was the understatement of the century. That he could act in such an awful way in the presence of such a young soul was honestly beyond disgusting. “I’m taking Henrik with me, and I’d love to see you try and stop me.”

Feeling a tug, Caroline looked down at Henrik, “What is it honey?”

“You sound like mum and dad when they fight. I never liked when they fought. Dad would get angry and hurt mum, but she never let him hurt me. _Please don’t fight_.”

Klaus’ countenance changed almost instantly at little Henrik’s story and he sighed, “Don’t worry, we’re not fighting and I’d never hurt her or you.” squatting in front of Henrik he continued, “Do you want to go with the pretty lady?”

“Yes, she’s warm.” he smiled for the first time.

Caroline was stunned; she literally did not know what to say to this strange occurrence. Klaus had a heart after all, it was hidden deep, deep, _deep_ down, but it was there.

“Oh well, it appears you have won this one, _Caroline_. Good luck with it.” Klaus stated, walking away and disappearing.

Shaking herself from the confusion, Caroline asked, “Are you ready to go?”

Looking one more time towards his mum Henrik waved goodbye, “Yes.”

* * *

Soul Collectors were originally human, only after death did they become what they were. Some maintained their memories over time, some forgot everything, and some remembered only the awful. Klaus was the latter; he still remembered how his father’s hand was harsh against his skin, even if he pretended to have forgotten. This was why listening to souls was a bad idea, all kinds of bad memories always seemed to want to break him after. He bet Caroline’s memories were full of sunshine and happiness, nothing alike his; how else would she be so kind? _She was nothing like him_.

His thoughts were broken by the sound of her sweet voice, “ _Thank you_.”

Caroline sat down next to Klaus and appreciated the view. Watching the sunrise on top of a huge building was also one of her favorite things to do, maybe she and Klaus weren’t so different after all. He seemed like he was in a bad mood, but she was too curious, “What made you change your mind?”

Looking at her he rolled his eyes and stayed silent.

“Come on, I need to know.” she said, shoving him with her shoulder.

“Fine. If you answer me something first, I’ll tell you.”

“Sure, go for it. I’m an open book.”

“I want to know the worst memory you remember.”

Flinching, Caroline hugged herself as if that would protect her against the nightmares and laughed, “Ah, that’s a _good_ question. Probably when my dad didn’t like how I was behaving, and closed me in a dark room without any water or food. The hitting with time didn’t bother me, but the starving was always hard to get through. Well, one day it was too much though, and here I am collecting souls.”

Of anything he’d expect, - a boy breaking up with her, a fight with her friends, something silly and superficial - this definitely was nowhere near it. “My father beat me, so I understood Henrik’s suffering and felt like he deserved some happiness, even if it was just being taken by you instead of me.”

“Now I get why you’re so grumpy all the time.”

“That makes one of us, because I can’t understand you for the life of me.” he said, staring at her as if he could unravel the mystery that was Caroline, if he looked at her for long enough.

“ _You’re just not that smart_ , it’s fine. Also, please stop stealing my souls.”

“I’ll consider it, if you go on a date with me.”

Caroline giggled and got up, “ _You wish_. Never gonna happen though.”

She disappeared from his eyes and he smiled, it _would_ happen, even if he had to steal all her souls for her to agree. Klaus had a feeling he wouldn’t need to go that far for her to concede.

Life could be fun, even after death. _Who knew?_

**Author's Note:**

> i'm also kickassfu on tumblr~~


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